(Crookston, Minn.)- The University of Minnesota, Crookston (UMC) Football team played a solid 60 minutes of football for the second straight week today as they hosted the Winona State (WSU) Warriors. UMC recorded their third highest offensive output of the season with 330 yards of total offense and has scored 53 of their 123 total points this season in the previous two football games.

Winona State opened the game by scoring on their first drive. The Warriors drove 58 yards on nine plays to take a 7-0 lead on a Randy Spring 6-yard rush. The Golden Eagles responded with 2:01 remaining in the first quarter as Cornelius King (WR, 5-5, 145, FR, Sebastian, Fla.) ran for a 7-yard score to cap a nine play, 62 yard drive that spanned 5:01. King has recorded three receiving touchdowns and one rushing touchdown in the last two weeks. WSU scored 20 straight points in the second quarter to take a 27-6 lead. Andrew Verbancouer scored on two 4-yard rushes while Todd Burkoth grabbed a 14-yard touchdown reception from Amir Ross. The Golden Eagles did not go away as the team drove 73 yards on 11 plays to score with 24 seconds left in the half. Quarterback Tim Ennis (QB, 6-2, 205, SO, Lancaster, Calif.) found tight-end Terrance Hopkins (TE, 6-1, 260, SR, Canyon Country, Calif.) in the middle of the WSU end-zone for a 10-yard touchdown to move the score to 27-13 Winona State at the half.

U of M, Crookston won the third quarter 6-3 after WSU struck first with a 22-yard field goal from Ryan Abbott. In the closing minutes of the third quarter, Ennis found Jordan Lecher (WR, 6-3, 195, FR, Litchfield, Minn.) on a 75-yard pass completion that completed a three-play, 75-yard drive. The 75-yard reception by Lecher is the second longest reception in Golden Eagle history. Mike Olsonawski holds the title with a 92-yard reception against Wayne State College on October 6, 2001. WSU scored 20 points in the fourth quarter to close the door on the Golden Eagles. Spring and Verbancouer each rushed for a touchdown while Tyrre Burks caught a seven yard touchdown pass. UMC’s Cornelius King caught a 19-yard pass from quarterback Jake Poehler (QB, 6-1, 175, FR, Coon Rapids, Minn.) for Kings fourth receiving touchdown in two weeks.

Ennis led the Golden Eagles, completing 10 of 21 passes for 166 yards and two touchdowns. He was also the leading rusher for UMC with 46 yards on 11 carries. Lecher led all receivers with five receptions for 98 yards and one touchdown. King caught four balls for 57 yards and one touchdown. Ben Welch (DB, 5-10, 205, SR, Bloomington, Minn.) and Kenny James, Jr. (LB, 6-1, 220, FR, Monticello, Ga.) led the Golden Eagle defense recording nine total tackles each.

Winona State University was led by running back Randy Spring who rushed for 204 yards on 24 carries. Spring averaged 8.5 yards per carry and scored two touchdowns. Splitting time with Spring was Andrew Verbancouer who rushed for 107 yards on 14 carries and scored three touchdowns on the day. Quarterback Amir Ross completed eight of 17 passes for 84 yards and two touchdowns. Todd Burkoth and Tyrre Burks each caught two passes and scored one touchdown for WSU. The Warriors were led by Jared Stahlecker on defense as he recorded six total tackles in the victory.

The Golden Eagles are now 2-7 overall and 1-7 in the NSIC, while the Warriors move to 5-4 overall and 5-3 in the NSIC. UMC hosts Minnesota Duluth on Saturday, November 1 at Ed Widseth Field. The final home game of the 2008 season is set for 1 p.m. Fans can listen to the game on KROX-1260 AM at http://www.umcrookston.edu/people/services/MediaServ/stream.htm and watch all Golden Eagle games live on Northern Sun TV at http://www.northernsun.tv/.